Safety closure effective both in the capped and uncapped state of the container

ABSTRACT

A dispenser, having a supply chamber, an outlet, and a discharge passage leading from the chamber to the outlet is provided in the passage with a normally closed trap which is resiliently distortable to open the passage for discharge of substance from the chamber. A cap has a formation projecting into the passage and distorting the trap when the cap is closed on the outlet.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Alfred Curci 183 London Dr., Hamden, Conn. 06517 I211 Appl No. 794,074 I22] Filed Jim. 27. I06) |=15| Patented Sept. 14. 1971 [54] SAFETY CLOSURE EFFECTIVE BOTH IN THE CAPPED AND UNCAPPED STATE OF THE CONTAINER 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 221/288, 221/289, 222/425 [51] Int. Cl i G07f 11/00 (50] Field of Search 222/425, 448, 449, 450, 454; 221/289, 288

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,182,694 5/1965 Raimo 221/289 X 3,480,182 1 l/l969 Rigor 222/490 X 2,530,012 1l/l950 Gronemeyer et a1v 222/449 2,578,010 12/195 Llurens 222/448 1,001,374 5/1963 Schwnrmnun 323/454 X 3,327,816 3/1966 Anderson 122/450 3,424,355 l/l969 Blumen ZZZ/450 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Assistant Examiner.lohn P. Shannon, Jr. Attorney-Walter Spruegel ABSTRACT: A dispenser, having a supply chamber, an outlet, and a discharge passage leading from the chamber to the outlet is provided in the passage with a normally closed trap which is resiliently distortable to open the passage for discharge of substance from the chamber. A cap has a formation projecting into the passage and distorting the trap when the cap is closed on the outlet.

PATENTED SEPMISTI 360 4593 drawings:

SAFETY CLOSUREEFFECTIVEBOTH IN -THECAPPED ---A ND UNGAPIED STATE OF TIIE CONTAINER This inventiongenerally relates to containersand closures therefo'r. More specifically, it relatesto aclosure safety device which is effective both in' the capped and'uncapped stated "-the container and provides, especially for-the very young. children, a'positive deterrent to easy accessibility'to harmful substances packaged in containers.

How to prevent children from having easy access to harmful PpmductsStoredin containers poses a very serious-problem *which many inventorshave tried to solve, and,'*tolthis=end,

--"manylsafety closure devices have'been designed. Usually,each

provides some form of'interlocking mechanical arrangement 'between cap and container.

'However, these-prior devices have numerous disadvantages. Some are"much= too-mechanically complicated, others too: expensive, but'most may be categorized as-impractical ln comrnon, however, they all have "two very serious disadvantages: "When-securing one ofthese prior safety caps onto a: container diligent attention is required to insure that the locking means thereof is properly and effectively engaged, otherwise it forfeits, obviously,-whateversafety value'it'may'havefiButby far,

"themost serious disadvantage of, prior safety closures is that none, to my knowledge, provide for such contingencies in "which, due to mental strain, physicalpain,.orforgetfulness, "the user of a container inadvertently leaves 'it in an uncapped state. Such an open container falling into the hands .ofa -young, unattended child would be"most dangerous, for, if untlete'cted, an immature child quickly could swallow'theentire lethal contents 'storedtherein.

Therefore,-the present invention "provides asafety closure device that is effective both in the capped and uncapped state "predetermined amount of-substance (suchiasa prescribed amount of medicine in granular or solidified nature, for example aspirins, etc. may be extracted from-the container with each proper manipulation of the cap andcontainer.

Another object of the invention provides therinherentwsafety of the time factor; to withdraw a. given portion'ofsubstance from the container requires the repetitiveact ofrproper "steps-all time-consuming.

And another object of the inventionisthat it permits retention of the desirable features of the presently :used caps :and containers without adding measurably to the present cost by its incorporation therein. I

upwardly extending neck part 12 which has an outlet or discharge end 13 and a discharge passage 14 leading therefrom to the chamber 1 1.

As seen in FIGS. 2,3 and 6, a resilient'closure or trap formation, generally designated at 15, issuitably fixed or secured within the discharge passage 14 so as to be spaced from the neck outlet 13 and interposed between the. latter and the chamberll. The trap 15, which is inthe form of a slit-resilient diaphragm, may be fabricated from .any suitable resilient material such asiplastic or rubber. In its preferred form, the trap 15 is like athimble-with an open-end and a rounded'bottomrPreferably, theupper open endthereof is formed-with a peripheral-flange 16 which has depending therefrom an annularcollar formation 17 and annular wall 17a of reduced :diameter and the lower portion of the latterhaving a plurality of resilient'fingers 18 extending radially toward a common center or axis of said dischargepassage '14 whichis coextensive with the longitudinal axis of the receptacle so as to close thedischarge passage to provide therein a normally closed 'barrieragainst discharge of substance such as articles of a given size from the chamber 11, whenever the receptacle 10 is in an uncapped state as seen in FIGQZ. The trap ,15 may be secured within the confines of the neckll by the frictional fit,

or by mating snap-means formed on said neck and trap parts,

such as at' 19 and 19a, respectively.

The closure cap, generally. designated at 20, may be formed from any suitable-material, preferably plastic, and as noted, it

may be screwable to and from sealing position on neck 12 by '30" the usual intermeshingsthread means onsaid neck; and cap parts, such as at 21 and 22, or the cap may be applied onto said-neck by mere axialmotion thereunto being removably -secured' thereon by intei'fitting snap-lock means formedon .said cap and neck, such as at 210 and22a, respectively. The

cap 20 has the usual end wall 23 from which depends cylindrical wall or skirt'24 and in coaxial relationship thereto,

acts to displace or distort the said trap fingers 18 from a normally closed position of FIG.' 2 to the open position seen in FIG.'3.

As noted in FIG. 1, there is provided in the free end of plug extension 25 a cavity or cup 27. and the open end thereof projects just beyond the free ends 18c of'the fingers 18 when the cap 20 is in its closed position on neck 12 as seen in FIG. 3, whereby, on inversion of the receptacle. l0,-substance, (not shown) from the chamber 11 will pass or gravitate therefrom into said cup 27 to be held or capturedtherein for subsequent discharge therefrom on removal of the cap 20 from the neck.

In the modification ofv FIG. 6, however, the cupi 27 is eliminated, andalso the trap 15 is formed with the fingers 18 thereof having a longertaper or V-shape than the structure v shown in FIG. 1. The formation. 25 is provid ed-with an end Other objects will appear hereinafter; I nthe accompanying I FIG. 1 is a vertical section "of the cap.

1 FIG. 2 is an elevation of an uncapped container, partially in section, showing the neck "trap formation in its normally closed position.

FIG; 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2,'but with the closure cap in sealing position and thetrap formation in open position.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in' the direction of'the arrows on line 4-'-4 of FIG 2.

FIG; 5 is a'vertical section of the cap showing a modified form of the invention comprising-an'additional safety'structure.

' FIG. 6 generally is a vertical section-of another modification of theinvention. Referring to'the drawings a typical receptacle is shown partially and identified generally at "10; the material 'thereof may be glass orany suitable'plastic"material. The receptacle 10 is provided with the usual chamber 11 and an surface 26' and the peripheral edge thereof engages the fingers 18 in a manner just previously described to open the trap 15, andas is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6, whenthe cap 20 is .in closed position on the neck, the end surface126' is spaced fixed portion of the substance from chamber 11 for subsequent discharge therefrom in a manner aforesaid-It will be obvious that the substance-receiving cup" 27 (FIG. 1) and'the 'substance-receivingspace 27' (FIG. 6) maybe dimensioned to suit, whereby. a given or predetermined amount of substance will-v gravitate therein for subsequent discharge therefrom-on each proper manipulation of cap and'receptacle. The modification illustrated in FIG. 5 constitutes the preferred embodiment of the invention; the structure thereof is advantageous, especially when extreme safety is desired to prevent the very young children from having'easy access to lethal substances of containers. The additional safety feature comprises a stud or stem portion 25 172 depending from the end wall 23 of the cap 20, and includes a cup part providing a cylindrical portion 125 having a bore 29 therethrough adapted for sliding reception of the stern portion 25, and as noted, the cylindrical portion 125 is axially movable on said stem portion being extendable to an operative position shown in dotted lines and retractable to an inoperative position shown in solid lines. Obviously, to extract substance from the receptacle 10, the cylindrical portion 125 must be extended to its operative position in order for the end surface 26 thereof to have sufficient longitudinal length to effectively engage and open the trap on cap closing motion. The said portions 125 and 25' are provided with suitable detent formations 30 and 31, respectively, for releasably locking said portions together in the said extended operative position. To facilitate the interengagement of the lock means 30 and 31, the stem 25' also has an open end longitudinal slot 32 permitting a greater degree of flexure thereto.

With reference to the structure of FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, the invention works as follows: On application of the cap onto the neck 12 the cap formation enters the neck passage 14, and on advancing motion of the cap to sealing position on said neck, the end surface 26 of the formation 25 engages the upper surface of the resilient fingers l8 forcing or distorting them to an open position as seen in FIG. 3 wherein the end surface 26 just projects beyond the free ends of the fingers 18. On inversion of the receptacle [0 a portion of the substance of the supply chamber 11 will gravitate into the cup 27 for subsequent discharge therefrom on removal of the cap from the receptacle, at which time the fingers 18 are released also from the restraining force of the formation 25 to reassume their normally closed position in discharge passage 14, as seen in FIG. 2, whereby said trap 15 again blocks passage of material through the said discharge passage 14 when the receptacle is in an uncapped state.

Thus, it is apparent that the present invention provides, especially for the young children, an effective deterrent to easy accessibility to harmful substances of containers. The safety closure means is most effective both in the capped and uncapped state of the container.

It is understood that the invention may be modified somewhat, but, nevertheless, fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dispenser of articles of given size which are potentially hazardous for children, comprising a receptacle for holding a supply of articles and having an open discharge end; a cap closable on and removable from said discharge end and having a plug extension with a cupped end, of which the cup is of a size to hold a certain number of articles and is open to the interior of the receptacle when the cap is closed; and a resilient transverse diaphragm in said receptacle, said diaphragm being slit and normally resiliently closed at the slit against the passage of an article therethrough, and said plug extension provides a depending stem on said cap, and a cup part having said cupped end and an apertured bottom slidably received with its aperture on said stem for movement into retracted and extended positions thereon, as well as means to releasably lock said cup part to said stem in said extended position, with said cupped end of said cup part in said extended position resiliently spreading said diaphragm open at the slit, on closure of the cap, sufficiently to confine escape of articles from the supply into the cup on inversion of the receptacle, and the diaphragm responding in resilient closure at the slit to retraction of said cupped end therefrom.

2. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said locking means provides interengageable detent formations on said stem and cup part, and said stem is longitudinally slotted for resilient engagement and disengagement of said detent formations. 

1. A dispenser of articles of given size which are potentially hazardous for children, comprising a receptacle for holding a supply of articles and having an open discharge end; a cap closable on and removable from sAid discharge end and having a plug extension with a cupped end, of which the cup is of a size to hold a certain number of articles and is open to the interior of the receptacle when the cap is closed; and a resilient transverse diaphragm in said receptacle, said diaphragm being slit and normally resiliently closed at the slit against the passage of an article therethrough, and said plug extension provides a depending stem on said cap, and a cup part having said cupped end and an apertured bottom slidably received with its aperture on said stem for movement into retracted and extended positions thereon, as well as means to releasably lock said cup part to said stem in said extended position, with said cupped end of said cup part in said extended position resiliently spreading said diaphragm open at the slit, on closure of the cap, sufficiently to confine escape of articles from the supply into the cup on inversion of the receptacle, and the diaphragm responding in resilient closure at the slit to retraction of said cupped end therefrom.
 2. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said locking means provides interengageable detent formations on said stem and cup part, and said stem is longitudinally slotted for resilient engagement and disengagement of said detent formations. 